Chapter 27 Revealing your true nature
What she saw was brutality given form.
A relentless flurry of punches tore into flesh and shattered bone.
Vandal laughed, pure joy plastered across his face. His clothes had burned away in the flames, yet his skin remained unmarked. His fists hammered down on Hutrar's face again and again, as if he had discovered the most delightful toy in the world.
Blood sprayed across his cheeks and forehead with every strike. His laughter rang out wild and unrestrained. The flames around them finally flickered out, leaving the podium to witness the same horror she had seen: a boy straddling his opponent, smashing his fists into a ruined skull, and drinking in every groan and muffled cry. Hutrars flaming towering frame had shrunk back down to his regular body.
"Impossible! How is this happening?" Duncan shouted, eyes bulging. "Hutrar is at stage seven resonance and possesses a berserk form! This brat is only stage three!"
"This... this boy is terrifying," Williams whispered, his voice barely audible.
Hutrar's face had become unrecognizable, reduced to a bloody pulp smeared across the ground. Wet whimpers leaked from his deformed lips.
"Hurlerrp... hurp... hurlpp mmsh... I... consheeed..." The words bubbled out thick and incoherent, his throat too mangled to form proper speech. He tried weakly to push himself up.
Vandal grabbed his leg and yanked him back down. He cocked his fist back, a bright, joyful smile lighting up his face.
"Stop! This match is over!" Holy Father Dhorian rose to his feet. He had never witnessed anything like this: an outsider brutalizing one of the best Enforcers.
The elders sat frozen in shock, their eyes locked on the scene.
The fist still descended.
"Insolence!" Dhorian snarled. In a blur, he got up from his chair, ready to rip the boy's arm clean off for his disobedience.
A hand seized his wrist just before he could strike.
“Wait, just watch” Williams said, his finger motioning for Dhorian to see what was about to unfold.
"Stop. He's had enough," Sabine said firmly.
"Vandal, stop! It's enough! Please!" she yelled.
Her voice cut through the air. Vandal froze, his fist hovering inches above Hutrar's shattered face.
In that instant, the blank white of his eyes faded. Pale blue pupils returned, and emotion flooded back into his expression.
"What... what did I just do?"
He knew exactly what he had done. He had lived every second of it. Each punch had felt deeply satisfying. The wet slap of torn tissue against his knuckles and the spray across his face had sent a rush through him like nothing else. Bloodlust. That was the word for it. And the realization that this side of him existed left him stunned.
He pushed himself up from Hutrar's chest and looked around. The entire crowd had fallen deathly silent. The scorched field stood as a stark reminder of the battle, and no one would soon forget the terrifying sight of Vandal in those moments.
“Vandal, let’s go. I’ll accompany you back.” Sabine walked over and took his hand, leading him out of the arena.
As the two figures moved away, many sect members on the podium exchanged complicated glances. They finally understood why Matron Clara had brought Vandal to the hall to test his talent. He was a monster. Whispers spread through the crowd about why the bell had never revealed his talent level and why it had never responded to him at all.
Outside the arena, Sabine stopped and turned to him, her expression serious.
“Vandal, you can’t go on like this.”
“What do you mean?” Vandal asked, confusion flickering across his face.
“Even if you don’t have an element type, you can’t keep relying on that… that form of yours. It turns you into something unrecognizable. I’m scared of losing you.”
She took a shaky breath before continuing.
“There are forbidden techniques that push the limits of Echo Warriors, but they all carry horrible drawbacks. Some even permanently prevent the person from advancing further.”
“I don’t want you to chase short-term strength at the cost of your future progress. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Sabine’s voice trembled slightly, her eyes glistening with worry.
Seeing her like that, Vandal felt a secret warmth bloom in his chest even as his heart ached. He knew the usual path to strength required steady, gradual progress. But that only applied to normal people, and he was clearly not normal.
He understood his own body better than anyone. His rapid advancement had not burdened him. Instead, it had made him stronger with every step.
Yet he could not tell Sabine the truth. He had no idea how to explain that he possessed resonance energy in abundance, a double core within his body, the blood of a half-giant, a left eye with special abilities, and a monster sealed inside it.
Vandal had no intention of revealing that secret to anyone. If possible, he would carry it to his grave.
“I understand. I’ll pay attention,” he said with a small smile, unable to offer more.
“Do your best then. I don’t wish to see you destroy your bright future for any short-term gains.”
Seeing his smile, Sabine’s expression tightened with annoyance. She turned on her heel and walked ahead without another word.
Watching her back, Vandal felt a wave of warmth wash over him. He was truly blessed to have someone who cared for him this much.
Suddenly, Father Williams appeared in front of them. His usually stern face broke into a wide smile.
“Boy, you did well. I am proud of you.”
Williams pulled him into a firm hug, sending another ripple of shock through everyone who witnessed it.
“Holy Father Williams just hugged the outsider… and said he was proud of him.”
“This is crazy.”
Before Vandal could respond, Williams took his hand.
“Now, allow me to formally introduce you into our sect. Not merely as an inner sect member, but as our new Enforcer recruit.”
In the blink of an eye, they stood once again in the arena. This time, Vandal found himself standing on a tall boulder beside the Grand Elder.
“Listen up!” Williams’ voice boomed across the field. “From this moment forward, this boy is an Enforcer of the Unseeing Faith Sect. He is a valuable addition to our ranks. He is no longer an outsider, and he is acquitted of every accusation of being a spy.”
Williams turned and handed Vandal a pitch-black robe patterned with perfect circles.
“This is your Enforcer robe. Wear it with pride, my boy.”